Family Matters
by Caitriona3
Summary: Life is all about changes...but Clint & Darcy have a tendency to go overboard.


_Author's Note: Another soulmate one-shot. For the Trope Bingo (Sharing a Bed square) & All Bingo (Parenthood square) cards. "Who the hell gave you a weapon, Short Stack?" -words (slightly tweaked) by lark-cale_

 **Family Matters**

She'd enjoyed seeing London again, and Jane promised she would return to New York right after the conference. Not that Darcy had the time or inclination to worry about the boss lady right this very moment. No, the irate brunette had another fish to fry. Or hawk to hunt….whatever. Now that she had _finally_ made it home, her pain in the ass soulmate had some explaining to do. Her blue eyes flashed as she strode out of the elevator and turned to head for their apartment.

The door opened even as Darcy stalked towards it. Clint came out, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Darce-."

"Don't start with me, Clint Barton!" she ranted, drilling a finger into his chest. "JARVIS goes down and the Tower gets attacked and I get a brief text and a five minute phone call?" He opened his mouth and she poked him again. "I'm not finished! You lot drop out of sight and then Thor shows up all weirded out by some visions he had-."

Clint's mouth crashing down on her effectively interrupted her rant. She struggled for a moment, stubborn about holding onto her irritation, but her relief at his apparent health and well-being swamped her and she surrendered to the kiss instead. Her arms slipped up and around his neck as her eyes fell closed. Losing herself in the moment, she reveled in the feel of him alive and with her.

He pulled back and pressed light kisses to her eyes and her cheeks before brushing his lips over hers again. "Missed you," he breathed. "So damn much."

"I missed you too." She pressed a kiss to the curve of his jaw. "I'm still mad at you."

"I know." His rough chuckle rumbled through his chest. "You've always been a spitfire...from the first day I met you."

Darcy could still remember that day.

Overseeing the SHIELD lackeys as they carted back Jane's equipment gave her way too much material for sarcasm and her remarks had irritated a couple of the agents in question. "She's not even the scientist," one of the nameless guys grumbled under his breath. Both of them frowned in her direction. "Just the intern."

"Hey!" She jabbed a finger at him. "Got news for you, suit boy - assistants rule the world." He grimaced, but remained silent. That didn't stop her. "I tased Thor, so believe me when I tell you I will have zero hesitation in doing the same to you."

Someone huffed a quiet chuckle behind her. "Who the hell gave you a weapon, Short Stack?"

 _Her_ _words_... _those_ _were_ _her_ _words_. The rough voice speaking words she'd seen in the mirror every morning of her life caused her to start in surprise, but even shock couldn't slow her attitude down. Her reply began flying out of her mouth even as she turned. "Probably the same someone who knew I'd have to deal with you, Pipsqueak."

The SHIELD agent...her **soulmate** stood there, gaping a little as their gazes locked.

She shook herself free of the memory to find him grinning down at her and pulled back. "Don't even try it, hotshot," she ordered as she smacked his arm. "I'm still planning to finish that rant." Realizing she was still standing in the doorway, she shoved past him. "You should have-." She stopped and stared into the living room.

"Yeah, uh...Darce-."

"That's not Tasha." Darcy folded her arms over her chest, eyes narrowing on the still figure stretched out on their couch. Not that she could see much of the woman...just her hair.

"No, but…" He paused, glancing at the couch before frowning at her. "How can you tell?"

"Tasha would have thrown something at us by now," she replied as she rolled her eyes.

"Point."

Clint took her arm and led her to their bedroom. She stripped off her jacket, tossing it on a nearby chair before focusing a stern look on him. "Spill. Now."

"Her name's Wanda." He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's just a kid who got a raw deal and found out she was working for the wrong side." His lips thinned. "Someone played on her sympathies and then used her in an experiment." Darcy's shoulders slumped a bit at that. She knew how much he hated that kind of manipulation. Sliding her arms around his waist, she rested her head against his chest and let him hold her as he continued. "Her and her brother."

"Brother?" she murmured.

"He...didn't make it out."

Darcy sensed there was something behind his sorrow, something more than just the guy's death, but he didn't say anything more and her instincts told her now was not the time to push it.

Her eyes caught on her coat.

"Oh, hey," she began as she pulled back. A giddy sort of smile stole over her face. "Got something I need to tell you."

Curiosity swam in his gaze and he tilted his head. "Yeah?"

A whimper came from the next room. Clint darted towards the sound, but Darcy wasn't far behind. He reached for Wanda's shoulder only to be shoved away by some kind of red forcefield. Darcy winced as he smacked into the wall, but she kept her eyes focused on the younger woman. Her hands went up. "Could you...you know...please not do that to me?"

Wanda blinked, surprise darting through her hazy eyes before comprehension cleared them and she gave Darcy a quick scan. "I wouldn't."

"Gee, thanks," Clint grunted, picking himself off the floor.

"Sorry?" The young redhead winced.

"Don't apologize," Darcy advised her. "He knows better than to wake up someone that way… Especially around here."

"Yeah," Clint muttered, "just don't do that again, okay?"

"I really am sorry."

He shook his head. "Did you have a nightmare or something?"

"Please." She bit her lip. "I wish not to discuss it."

Concern deepened in his face, but he gave a slow nod. "Alright, we'll...we'll let it go for now."

"Why don't we find you something more comfortable to wear?" Darcy offered, one hand still resting on Wanda's arm. She shifted it to curve around her elbow. "Then we can see about all of us getting some sleep." A light tug prompted the redhead to follow her. "I know I've been up way too long."

"You only have one bedroom," Wanda protested. "I do not want to impose."

"Trust me, you'd know if you were imposing." Darcy gave her a crooked smile. "I am not shy about telling people those kind of things."

"She's really not," Clint laughed. "This entire section of the Tower would know."

"No comments from the peanut gallery," she shot back. She rolled her eyes and began rooting around in her closet. "It's not like we're doing anything but sleeping," she continued as she held a set of pajamas out to Wanda.

"But you are soulmates."

"And you are a kid who needs some sleep in a safe place," Darcy countered. "Tasha stays over a lot too." Her eyes narrowed as she glanced around the apartment. "We do need a bigger place," she allowed. "Someone remind me to talk to Pepper tomorrow about an upgrade." One eyebrow rose as she refocused on Wanda. "Well? Go get changed."

Bewildered amusement shone in the girl's eyes. "I am not a child," she noted even as she turned towards the bathroom.

"You're not an ancient either, so chop chop." As soon as the door closed, Darcy fixed a firm stare on her soulmate. "Are we adopting a teenager?"

"Maybe?"

"So...that's a yes. Hmm." She tapped her finger against her lips. "Definitely an upgrade then."

"I can talk to Pepper," he offered. "Let her know we need another bedroom."

"We need a four bedroom," Darcy corrected. She ducked into the closet and began changing into her own sleepwear.

"Four?" he repeated. "Why four?"

"One for us, one for Wanda, one for anybody else who wants to stay but doesn't quite grasp the idea of platonic comfort sleep," she called out. She stopped to pull on the large Happy Bunny t-shirt, stolen from Clint at one point or another.

"That's only three."

"I know." She ran a hand through her hair, smiling at his confused expression. Her feet carried over to the coat she'd tossed earlier and she dug into the pocket. Pulling out an envelope, she turned to hand it to him. "This is why we need the fourth."

Clint's eyebrows rose as he took it from her. "What are you up to?" he murmured as he opened it and drew out a photo.

"Believe me, I'm only half responsible for this. The other half is all you."

He stared at the page in his hand. It rustled a bit as his fingers trembled. "Darce?"

"Let me guess? You want to do the nursery in purple?"

"A baby." He reached out to rest his free hand on her belly. "I didn't… I don't… How far along?"

"Six weeks." Her grin blossomed, full and blinding as she put a hand on top of his. "It must have been right before I went to London."

"I love you."

"And I love you." She stepped closer, leaning into him. "I love you and the little hawk we're going to be springing on the world. Think Tasha would agree to being godmother?"

"I think she might hurt anyone else we named." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "What about Jane though?"

"I figure on making Thor the godfather," Darcy shrugged, "so she can bask in his reflected glory."

Laughter rumbled through him once more. "This is gonna be one spoiled kid."

"Says the man who'll be doing most of it."


End file.
